Two Valley Marines, Privates Cameron Pike and Blake Moorhead, both 19, received letters from Sharon Piper’s third-grade class at Opstad Elementary School in North Bend during their boot camp training.

They returned the favor in a visit last week to the school. Piper’s students had many questions for the Marines, and will continue to write to them as they move into their next phase of service.

The two men were in Piper’s class years ago, as third graders, as they went to school together from kindergarten all the way to graduating at Mount Si High School last June.

During their Opstad stop, Pike and Moorhead were also able to visit some of their teachers and staff members, and felt a lot of support.

Both Pike and Moorhead just graduated from United States Marine Corps boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on Friday, Nov. 15.

They both successfully completed 13 weeks of intensive basic training, as two of 78 recruits in Echo Company 2nd Bn., Platoon 2102.

While in recruit training, both were recognized as expert shooters, and their platoon won the initial physical fitness test, final combat fitness test and final physical fitness competitions. Following 17 days home on leave, they both will report to Camp Pendleton for two months at the Infantry Training Battalion.

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